CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College softball team will head to Huntsville, Ala. this weekend to play six games in the Charger Chillout 2.0 held at the Metro Kiwanis Sportsplex.
The Lady Choctaws will face Kentucky Wesleyan (12:00 pm) and Missouri-St. Louis (2:00 pm) on Friday (Feb. 8), Henderson State (11:00 am) and #1 Southern Indiana (3:00 pm) on Saturday (Feb. 9) and #12 Illinois Springfield (9:00 am) and McKendree (11:00 am) on Sunday (Feb. 10).
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE (2-2, 0-0 GSC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
The Lady Choctaws are led by 13th-year head coach
Brooke O'Hair, who has posted a 344-216 record in her tenure. They were predicted to finish 3rd in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll and opened the campaign with a 2-2 record at the Gulf Coast Invitational last weekend. MC defeated Eckerd (2-1) and Tuskegee (13-1) on Saturday before falling to #5 Saint Leo (1-4) and #3 North Georgia (1-3) on Sunday.
The pitching staff had a solid start to the season last weekend, posting a 1.68 earned run average with 20 strikeouts and three walks. Senior
Cori Cooper (0-1, 1.00 ERA) tallied a team-high 10 strikeouts with no walks in a team-high 7.0 innings. Seniors
Penny Nichols (1-0, 1.17 ERA) and
Adrianna Morgan (0-1, 1.40 ERA) tallied five strikeouts and just two walks on the weekend.
Junior
Shayla McKissock (.571) led the Lady Choctaw offensive attack with a double, four runs scored, four RBI and four stolen bases. Junior
Morgan Bradford (.500) had a team-high five hits, while freshman
Annemarie Peavy (.429) cranked out two doubles and a triple in her collegiate debut.
KENTUCKY WESLEYAN (2018 Record: 28-26, 12-12 G-MAC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2018 STATS
The Panthers, out of Owensboro, Kentucky, will open their season against MC after going 28-26 with a 12-12 record in the Great Midwest Conference in 2018. They are led by 13th-year head coach Miles Mallette and have been predicted to finish 5th in the G-MAC.
KWC returns their leading hitter from a season ago in Meredith Daunhauer (.413) who stole 40-of-46 bases in 2018. Jaylin Tidwell (.293) was named the league's Freshman of the Year, racking up eight doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI. Lexie Mullen (.380) is also back after leading the team with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 51 RBI.
The Panthers return their top three pitchers from last season, led by Maci Brown (10-10, 3.45 ERA), who had a team-best 114 strikeouts. Evyn Hendrickson (10-6, 4.67 ERA) pitched in 93 strikeouts.
MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS (2018 Record: 35-24, 17-11 GLVC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2018 STATS
The Tritons, out of St. Louis, Missouri, will also open their campaign in Huntsville after going 35-24 with a 17-11 record in the Great Lake Valley Conference in 2018. They are led by 3rd-year head coach Amanda Scott and have been predicted to finish 5th in the GLVC.
UMSL hit 45 home runs in 2018 and will have to replace two players in Serena Olson and Jennah Perryman who combined for 30 long balls. Reagan Osborn (.360) led the squad in hitting in 2018 and had 15 doubles, while Chelsea Martinez (.322) also had 15 two-baggers.
The Tritons return their top two pitchers from last season in Carly Kingery (18-9, 2.19 ERA) and Andee Tiffee (13-9, 2.83 ERA). Kingery had a team-high 239 strikeouts in 198.1 innings, while Tiffee had 177 punchouts in 133.2 innings.
HENDERSON STATE (2-1, 0-0 GAC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
The Reddies, out of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, have opened the season 2-1 after an appearance in the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational. They are led by 11th-year head coach Beth Jackson and have been predicted to finish 4th in the Great American Conference.
On the young season, Madie Green (.833) is the team's leading hitter, only being retired one timme in six at-bats last weekend. As a squad, HSU hit .410 with 19 runs scored on 32 hits. Ashlyn Taylor (.556) and Marcela Lopez (.444) have scored a team-high four runs, while Abbie Moore (.600) has a team-best five RBI.
In the circle, Monica Monreal (0-0, 6.75 ERA) made two starts last weekend, while Mallory Brewer (1-1, 4.50 ERA) had a team-high three appearances.
#1 SOUTHERN INDIANA (2018 Record: 41-23, 15-13 GLVC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2018 STATS
The Screaming Eagles, out of Evansville, Indiana, are the defending NCAA Division II national champions, going 41-23 with a 15-13 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2018. They are led by 18th-year head coach Sue Kunkle.
USI returns their leading hitter from a season ago in Allison Schubert (.340), who had a team-high 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 51 RBI. Claire Johnson (.325) also comes back after leading the squad with seven triples to go along with eight doubles and six home runs. Caitlyn Bradley (.241) also drove in 38 runs in 2018.
Jennifer Leonhardt (26-12, 2.29 ERA) recorded 38 of the team's 64 pitching decisions in 2018, leading the squad in strikeouts (277) and innings pitched (235.0). Haylee Smith (6-5, 2.75 ERA) is also back after pitching in 47 strikeouts last season.
#12 ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD (2018 Record: 40-19, 22-6 GLVC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2018 STATS
The Prairie Stars, out of Springfield, Illinois, will open their season in Huntsville after going 40-19 with a 22-6 record in the Great Lake Valley Conference in 2018. They are led by 5th-year head coach Shannon Guthrie and have been predicted to finish 2nd in the GLVC.
Lakyn Wagoner (.375) returns after leading the team in hitting in 2018, driving in 34 runs with 11 doubles and a team-high nine home runs. Calla Wickenhauser (.331) led the squad with 38 RBI and posted nine doubles with eight home runs and five triples.
Jaycee Craver (11-5, 2.76 ERA) is the lone returner in the circle for UIS, striking out 85 batters in 131.2 innings pitched. They will have to replace Ali Haesele (25-11, 2.13 ERA) who led the team with 217 strikeouts and 216.2 innings pitched in 2018.
MCKENDREE (2018 Record: 38-18, 20-8 GLVC)
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2018 STATS
The Bearcats, out of Lebanon, Illinois, will also open their season in Huntsville after going 38-18 with a 20-8 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2018. They are led by 4th-year head coach Ashley Fleming and have been predicted to finish 3rd in the GLVC.
Miranda Gajewski (.348) is the team's top hitter and pitcher from a season ago. She talllied a team-high 13 doubles with 34 RBI, while finishing second on the team with 62 hits. Gajewski also went 21-7 in the circle with 111 strikeouts in 176.1 innings pitched.
Caitlyn Lowry (.320) hits six home runs with six doubles and 36 RBI in 2018. Haegen Boyer (.261) stole a team-high 11 bases and also had 13 doubles. Kylee Silliman (7-7, 3.16 ERA) was second on the team with 93.0 innings pitched and 17 starts last season.
GAME NOTES
MC was picked to finish 3rd in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after finishing 4th in the final standings in 2018 with a record of 29-16 and 19-12 in league play.
The Lady Choctaws are making their second straight trip to the Charger Chillout 2.0, going 2-2 in 2018. MC defeated Missouri-St. Louis (9-6) and Henderson State (9-5) but fell to Bellarmine (2-10) and McKendree (3-4).
The Lady Choctaws are scheduled to play 29 teams that combined to post a record of 821-689 (.544) in 2018, including four teams that finished the season ranked in the top 12 in the final NFCA rankings. They wiil play defending national champion Southern Indiana (#1), Saint Leo (#5), North Georgia (#3) and Illinois Springfield (#12). USI, SLU and UNG all made it to the College World Series.
MC will face eight first-time opponents in 2019, including Tuskegee, Saint Leo, Southern Indiana, Kentucky State, Wayne State, Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State and Nebraska-Kearney.
The Lady Choctaws set a school record with 41 home runs in 2018, eclipsing the record of 37 hit in 2011.
Brianna Caldwell also set a new standard in MC softball history with 14 home runs, besting the mark of 13 by Ty Buckley in 2016.
LAST TRIP TO THE CHARGER CHILLOUT 2.0
Last season, the Lady Choctaws went to Huntsville, Ala. for this same tournament, going 2-2 with a 9-6 win over #14 Missouri-St. Louis and a 9-5 victory over Henderson State. They also dropped a pair of games to Bellarmine (2-10) and McKendree (3-4). In the victory over the Reddies,
Carly Crawford went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
Kristen Qualls went 2-for-5 wih a home run, a double, three RBI and two runs scored.
HOW WE STACK UP
The Lady Choctaws currently rank 4th in the league in batting average (.304) and are 6th in the conference in earned run average (1.68). MC is also 12th in fielding percentage (.929). They rank 2nd in the GSC allowing just 17 hits and are 4th with 20 strikeouts.
WE WERE MERELY FRESHMEN
The 2019 Lady Choctaws have five players that opened their careers in 2016 with an NCCAA National Championship in Troutville, Va.
Alexia Harmon,
Shelby Miller,
Penny Nichols,
Makenzie Nieto and
Kristen Qualls were all a part of the first women's team in MC history to win a national title. The Lady Choctaws cruised through the NCCAA World Series, allowing just 10 runs and scoring 46. They closed out the historic run with a shutout victory over Belhaven that saw only two Blazer baserunners even reach second base against Carlie Sargent.
NEW FACES ALL OVER THE PLACE
The Lady Choctaws welcome 11 newcomers to the 2019 squad, including five freshman and six transfers. Junior
Morgan Bradford (Southern Union State CC) and freshman
Hannah Creel (Bowling Green School) were named to the GSC's Top Newcomer List. The newcomers are from four different states, including Georgia (Bradford,
Hayden Claypool), Louisiana (
Ashley Elsensohn,
Paige Hulin,
Annemarie Peavy,
Gracie Trahan), Mississippi (Creel,
Kendal Daniels,
Abbey Salvo) and Texas (
Baylee Freudenberg,
Grace Hahn).
HOME RUN QUEENS
Junior
Kristen Qualls became MC's all-time home run leader with her 28th long ball on Friday (April 13) against #22 UAH. The home run came with two outs in the seventh inning to tie the score at 6-6. The former Madison Central standout broke the record of 27 home runs held by Brooke Smitherman (2011-15). Qualls also ranks 2nd in school history with 125 runs batted in, just 10 shy of Smitherman (135).
Brianna Caldwell set a single-season record with 14 home runs in 2018. She would set the record with a pair of long balls in the GSC Tournament against Montevallo. It was Caldwell's second time to hit two home runs in a game, also sending two out on February 24th against West Georgia. Her 14 home runs in 2018 already has her 5th in school history for career long balls.
EYE ON THE RECORD BOOKS
There are other Lady Choctaws that are on pace to make their mark on the MC Softball record books, starting with senior
Alexia Harmon, who has played in 162 career games. The record for games played is currently held by
Megan Everett (2014-17), who saw action in 209 contests. The former Madison Central standout also sits in the top 15 in school history in at-bats, hits, runs scored, doubles, runs batted in, total bases, hit-by-pitches, stolen bases and stolen base attempts.
Qualls, Harmon's teammated at MCHS, is also set to rise up the lists, sitting in the Top 15 in games played, slugging percentage, at-bats, hits, runs batted in, total bases, base on balls and hit-by-pitches
LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!
The 2019 campaign features several unique mascots for the Lady Choctaws as they will face 30 teams with 25 different personalities. The most common mascot opponent for MC will be the Tigers (Ouachita Baptist, Tuskegee and West Alabama), followed by the Bearcats (McKendree and Northwest Missouri State), Lions (Saint Leo and Missouri Southern State) and Tritons (Eckerd and Missouri-St. Louis).
Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact
David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or
nichols@mc.edu.
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